9781422274491

The Danger of Greenhouse Gases Extreme Weather The Future of Biodiversity The Organic Lifestyle Preserving Energy Recycling Works! Renewable Energy in Action Saving Water The Vital Role of Deserts and Forests What Is Climate Change?

The Danger of Greenhouse Gases James Shoals

Mason Crest

Mason Crest 450 Parkway Drive, Suite D Broomall, PA 19008 www.masoncrest.com

© 2020 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher.

Printed and bound in the United States of America.

Series ISBN: 978-1-4222-4353-4 Hardback ISBN: 978-1-4222-4354-1 EBook ISBN: 978-1-4222-7449-1

First printing 1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2

Cover photographs by Dreamstime: Vyacheslav Svetlichnyy (left); John Casey (right); Alexandragl (bottom). Shutterstock: VanderWolf Images (bkgd.).

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Shoals, James, author. Title: The danger of greenhouse gases / by James Shoals. Description: Broomall, PA : Mason Crest, [2019] | Series: Climate challenges: problems and progress | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2019013877| ISBN 9781422243534 (series) | ISBN 9781422243541 (hardback) | ISBN 9781422274491 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Greenhouse gases--Environmental aspects--Juvenile literature. Classification: LCC TD885.5.G73 S534 2019 | DDC 363.738/742--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019013877

QR Codes disclaimer: Youmay gain access to certain third party content (“Third-Party Sites”) by scanning and using the QR Codes that appear in this publication (the “QR Codes”). We do not operate or control in any respect any information, products, or services on such Third-Party Sites linked to by us via the QR Codes in- cluded in this publication, andwe assume no responsibility for anymaterials youmay access using the QR Codes. Your use of the QR Codesmay be subject to terms, limitations, or restrictions set forth in the applicable terms of use or otherwise established by the owners of the Third-Party Sites. Our linking to such Third-Party Sites via the QR Codes does not imply an endorsement or sponsorship of such Third-Party Sites, or the information, products, or services offered on or through the Third-Party Sites, nor does it imply an endorse- ment or sponsorship of this publication by the owners of such Third-Party Sites.

CONTENTS

32

6

Ozone Depletion.

W ords to U nderstand .

34

8

Kyoto Protocol.

I ntroduction .

36

10

Food Waste.

Greenhouse Gases.

38

12

The Paris Agreement.

Methane .

40

14

Carbon Capture and Storage .

Carbon Dioxide .

42

16

Carbon Footprint.

Water Vapor.

18

Nitrous Oxide.

20

44

Other GHGs .

T ext -D ependent Q uestions .

24

45

Indirect GHGs.

R esearch P rojects .

26

46

GHGs and Global Warming.

F ind O ut M ore .

28

47

Ozone Layer.

S eries G lossary of K ey T erms .

30

48

Tropospheric Ozone .

I ndex .

KEY ICONS TO LOOK FOR

Words to Understand: These words with their easy-to-understand definitions will increase the reader’s understanding of the text, while building vocabulary skills.

Sidebars: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Educational Videos: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing themwith additional educational content to supplement the text. Examples include news coverage, moments in history, speeches, iconic moments, and much more!

Text-Dependent Questions: These questions send the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented here.

Research Projects: Readers are pointed toward areas of further inquiry connected to each chapter. Suggestions are provided for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis.

Series Glossary of Key Terms: This back-of-the-book glossary contains terminology used through- out this series. Words found here increase the reader’s ability to read and comprehend higher-level books and articles in this field.

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND

accumulation the quantity of something that has increased over a period

aerosol a substance that is kept in a container under high pressure so that it can be sprayed

anthropogenic pollutants generated by human activities

biomass animal dung and other animal waste used as a fuel

compost a mixture made by the decomposition of plant and vegetable waste, to add in soil

deforestation cutting down a large number of trees

ecosystem a community of living organisms and their interaction with each other and their physical environment such as air, soil, and water

eruption to emit or discharge with a force

fermentation the process of breakdown of the food by microorganisms such as yeast

hydroelectric power electricity generated with the power of flowing water

Industrial Revolution a period of development in industries, agriculture, textile, and transportation

infrared a type of light that can be felt as heat but cannot be seen

magnitude of great extent, importance

permafrost a subsurface layer of soil that remains frozen throughout the year, usually in the polar regions

pesticide a substance that is used to kill those insects that damage crops

CLIMATE CHANGE: Problems and Progress

6

photochemical a chemical reaction caused by light

precipitation water released from clouds as rain, snow, hail, or sleet

radiate to emit energy in the form of rays, heat, and waves

reservoir a large quantity of something that can be used anytime

sedative a medicinal drug that makes one fall asleep

semiconductor a solid substance that allows electricity to pass through it when its temperature increases

smog a mixture of smoke and fog in the atmosphere

solvent a substance which is capable of dissolving a solid substance

stratosphere a part of Earth’s atmosphere that is 10–50 km above the surface

sublimation the process in which a solid substance changes into gas or vice versa without becoming liquid

topography the physical features of the earth such as hills, mountains, rivers, etc.

transpiration the process in which water from leaves passes into the atmosphere as water vapor

volatile any liquid or substance that can quickly change into gas

wetland an area of land fully or partially submerged in water

The Danger of Greenhouse Gases

7

INTRODUCTION

T he Earth is wrapped in a blanket of atmosphere, made up of many gases. Some of these gases, known as the greenhouse gases (GHGs), have the ability to trap and store the heat radiated by the Earth. The Earth’s atmosphere is kept slightly warmer due to the greenhouse ef- fect. This natural phenomenon enables the existence of life on Earth. However, human activities are gradually destroying the delicate balance of na- ture by releasing an excess of GHGs into the atmosphere. This has harmful effects on the global climate and topography . As global warming increases, its effects are felt worldwide. Sea levels are rising and now the Earth is covered with a warmer atmospheric layer near the ground. GHGs such as carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane, and nitrous oxide are added to the atmosphere due to daily human activities. There is a great need for individ- uals and businesses to reduce their carbon footprint to prevent global warming.

Greenhouse Effect An increase in the concentration of GHGs also increases the magnitude of the green- house effect. This leads to a rise in the tem- perature of the Earth’s surface. This rise in temperatures is causing global warming, which in turn accounts for major climatic changes in our planet.

CLIMATE CHANGE: Problems and Progress

8

Heating the Atmosphere About 31 percent of the solar radiation is reflected back into space, while the Earth’s atmosphere absorbs 69 percent of it. The surface of the Earth is heated by sunlight that passes through the atmosphere. Upon heating, the Earth’s surface emits infrared rays that warm the air above it. The GHGs present in the Earth’s atmosphere absorb and reemit this infrared radiation. Thus, they act like the glass in a greenhouse, which prevents the heat from escaping.

Human Contribution Human activities, such as excess burning of fossil fuels, release additional GHGs into the atmosphere, thus increasing the green- house effect. CO 2 , methane, and nitrous ox- ide are the main gases that contribute to the GH effect. There are other gases as well that add to the GH effect. However, only a small percentage of them exist in the atmo- sphere.

● ● Among all the GHGs, CO 2 concentrations in the atmosphere. Climate Facts

has the highest

● ● The concentration of CO 2

was less during

the glacial periods. Such periods were marked by colder temperatures.

The Danger of Greenhouse Gases

9

Greenhouse Gases

T he GHGs present in our atmosphere have supported the existence of life on Earth. These gases trap solar heat within the Earth’s atmosphere and allow its temperature to be warmer and more stable. The most common GHGs are methane, CO 2 , nitrogen oxides (NOx), and fluorinated gases (F-gases). GHGs act like a blanket and keep the Earth’s temperature thirty degrees warmer than it would be otherwise.

Constitution GHGs constitute only 1 percent of the total atmosphere. The rest of the atmosphere comprises oxygen and nitrogen. Some of the GHGs occur naturally within the atmosphere such as water vapor, while the others such as chlorofluorocarbons are released due to human activ- ities. Different GHGs have different durations in the atmosphere and different warming capabilities.

CLIMATE CHANGE: Problems and Progress

10

How do GHGs work? GHGs allow sunlight to enter the atmo- sphere freely. When sunlight reaches the Earth’s surface, some of it is reflected back towards space as infrared radiation. GHGs absorb this infrared radiation and trap its heat within the atmosphere. Each GHG mol- ecule is made up of three or more atoms that are loosely bonded together. These molecules are able to absorb the heat with- in them, which makes them vibrate. They eventually release this heat energy, which is further absorbed by another molecule. In this way, the heat is trapped and trans- ferred by GHGs.

Global Warming Potential (GWP)

GWP refers to a measure that estimates how much a gas contributes to global warming as compared to CO 2 . The ratio of heat trapped by one unit mass of the GHG to that of one unit mass of CO 2 determines the GWP of a GHG.

Climate Facts

● ● Just over two pounds (1 kg) of CO 2 fill a large family fridge. One ton of CO 2 would fill a large home. ● ● Without the greenhouse effect, the average temperature would be about -2°F (-18°C) rather than the current 57°F (14°C).

would

The Danger of Greenhouse Gases

11

Methane

M ethane (CH 4 ) is an odorless and colorless gas that contributes greatly to the greenhouse effect. It is the simplest hydrocarbon and is highly combustible. Since the time of the industrialization boom, the concen- tration of methane in the atmosphere has increased many times over. Meth- ane is responsible for almost half of the planet’s human-induced warming.

Uses Methane has a GWP of 21, which means that it is twenty-one times more effective than CO 2 in trapping heat. If methane is released directly into the atmosphere, it causes glob- al warming. To avoid environmental prob- lems, methane is used as a fuel to generate energy. It forms a major component of the natural gas found beneath the surface of the Earth.

Sources Methane is generated naturally by the de- composition of organic wastes in the ab- sence of oxygen. Wetlands , rice paddies, termites, oceans, permafrost, and wildfires generate large amounts of methane. Hu- man-influenced sources such as landfills, natural gas leaks, agricultural activities, fossil fuel mining, wastewater treatment, and certain industrial processes gener- ate 75 percent of the methane emissions worldwide.

CLIMATE CHANGE: Problems and Progress

12

Methane Sink A methane molecule remains in the atmo- sphere for approximately nine to fifteen years, after which hydroxyl radicals oxidize it into CO 2 and water. Certain microbes present in well-drained soils rely on meth- ane for carbon and energy. They constitute approximately 5 percent of the total meth- ane sink from the atmosphere. However, due to the warming of the Arctic, the methane buried under the Arctic seafloor may escape and speed up global warming. Cattle Cattle, sheep, buffalo, and goats are ru- minant animals—animals with four stom- achs and a unique digestive system. They graze on plant matter and release methane through their digestion process. A cow pro- duces 175-240 pounds (80–110 kg) of meth- ane in a year. In the US, about one hundred million cattle discharge about 5.5 million metric tons of methane per year. Globally, ruminant animals release about eighty mil- lion metric tons of methane per year.

Climate Facts

● ● Methane levels may rise significantly in the future if global warming melts the frozen ground in the Arctic. ● ● Trace amounts of sulfur compounds are added to commercial methane to detect leakage and avoid explosions.

The Danger of Greenhouse Gases

13

Carbon Dioxide

C O

2 is an atmospheric gas whose one molecule consists of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms. It is produced by burning carbon com- pounds and by respiration. CO 2 is a GHG and contributes significantly to global warming. Once emitted, it can remain in the atmosphere for up to a hundred years.

Increase in CO 2 CO 2

Human Activities From the Industrial Revolution until 2018, the atmospheric concentrations of CO 2 have risen to nearly 40 percent. The use of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, petroleum, and gas in vehicles, power plants, and in- dustries releases large amounts of CO 2 . Deforestation prevents the accumulation of carbon in plants. Energy efficiency as well as reduction in the consumption of energy is required to avoid climate change.

in the atmosphere has increased by about 30 percent since the early 1800s. Hu- man activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation have contributed to the increase of CO 2 in the air. The combus- tion of organic matter in the presence of oxygen is directly responsible for produc- ing CO 2 .

CLIMATE CHANGE: Problems and Progress

14